Welcome!

Welcome to the fourth issue of the Biofuel Cities Update (we hope you like its new look HTML format!), your monthly electronic newsletter providing information on developments in the field and from the Biofuel Cities European Partnership, the multistakeholder forum for the application of biofuels.

1. Latest Biofuels News

13.11.07The potential of algae as feedstock

Algae are set to eclipse all other biofuel feedstocks as the cheapest, easiest, and most environmentally friendly means of producing liquid fuel for cars, homes and power generators, according to a report by market analyst Kiplinger.>>more

08.11.07GEM BioFuels to fund Jatropha plantations

UK-based feedstock supplier GEM BioFuels has raised 5 million Euros (3.5 million pounds) for use in expanding its jatropha plantations in Madagascar and to acquire a seed crushing plant to produce crude jatropha oil.

GEM Biofuels is a company established to supply jatropha-based feedstock to the rapidly growing global biodiesel market. >>more

07.11.07Dutch biodiesel manufacturers join forces

Eight biodiesel manufacturers in the Netherlands are leading the push climb to the top of the list of biodiesel producers in the European Union. The Netherlands Biodiesel Industry Association (VNBI) says its goal is to become one of the EU's top producers within two years. Together, the production plants of the eight companies manufacture a total of 1.5 million tons of biodiesel per year. Therefore, according to VNBI, the Netherlands could certainly replace 10% of diesel is uses with biodiesel by 2009. >>more

06.11.07Sustainable Energy Europe Awards Competition 2008

Does your organisation receive sufficient recognition and praise for its endeavours in the field of sustainable energy or energy efficiency? Imagine the opportunity of being showcased across Europe as a pioneer in the field of sustainable energy innovation.

The Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign of the European Commission is a major initiative, promoting, showcasing and rewarding outstanding projects and programmes in the field. Become part of this exciting Campaign and join as a Partner before 31 October 2007 and you will be automatically entered into the prestigious annual awards competition, to be held in Brussels on 29 January 2008. >>more

2. News from the Biofuel Cities European Partnership

19.11.07Report now available on information needs of potential biofuel users

A report presenting the results of a survey carried out earlier this year to assess the information needs of biofuel users is now available. The survey was carried out within the framework of the EU Biofuel Cities project. >>more

08.11.07Biofuel Cities European Partnership officially launched

After several months of intensive preparation, the Biofuel Cities European Partnership was officially launched on 8 November 2007 at the Clean Vehicles and Fuels (CVF) Symposium in Stockholm, Sweden. Ms. Alexandra Langenheld of the European Commission's Directorate- General for Transport and Energy officially inaugurated the Biofuel Cities European Partnership, which is a forum for the application of biofuels, open to all stakeholders in the area of biofuels for vehicles. >>more

15.11.07Biofuel Cities Quarterly second issue online

The second issue of the Biofuel Cities quarterly newsletter is now available online. The current issue focuses on the role of 'end-users of biofuels'.

With a different focus in each issue, the Biofuel Cities Quarterly keeps you informed about technology and policy developments related to the application of biofuels. >>more

3. Policies Update

21.11.07 Certificate for sustainable palm oil getting closer

There is not long to go until there is an international certificate for the sustainable production of palmoil. The Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil (RPSO), which includes representatives from the palm oil industry around the world, will decide on the conditions at their meeting in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) during the third week of November. Certification of companies is expected to begin thereafter. >>more

(source: GAVE-news, November 2007)

14.11.07UN Panel to address sustainability of biofuels

Assessing the environmental and social impacts of biofuel production and the sustainable recycling of metals are likely to top the agenda of a new global think tank on resource efficiency, set up by the United Nations on 9 November.

The EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas highlighted the sustainability issue of biofuels as one of the top issues for discussion by the Panel. "We have to ensure that biofuels are sustainable," said Dimas, in relation to the EU's binding target of increasing the share of biofuels to 10% by 2020 - provided that the biofuels are produced sustainably and that second-generation biofuels are developed. "Both environmental and social impacts will have to be taken into account," added Dimas. >>more

4. Project and Activites

Clean Cities strives to advance the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local decisions to adopt practices that contribute to the reduction of petroleum consumption. Clean Cities has a network of approximately 90 volunteer coalitions, which develop public/private partnerships to promote alternative fuels and advanced vehicles, fuel blends, fuel economy, hybrid vehicles, and idle reduction. >>more

12.11.07 Worldbioplants.com

This is a new website that is set up to collect information on all biofuel plants in the world. All biofuel plants are invited to enter their plant into the website's database to build the largest database worldwide! This service is free and at the moment the easiest way to find a bio plant around the world. >> more

05.11.07 Biovalue Eemshaven

Biovalue is a company that aims to setup Biodiesel factories around the world incorporating vegetable- and animal fat as raw materials. Using the latest technology, Biovalue has the potential to be a major player in the Biomass market. >> more

05.11.07 Biopetrol Rotterdam

By setting up another biodiesel production site in Rotterdam: LURGI AG is contracted to build there two biodiesel production facilities, where each one is expected to produce 400,000 tonnes of biodiesel per annum. Starting with the third quarter 2007, these refineries are scheduled to extend our capacity to around 750,000 tonnes of biodiesel in the first instance. >> more

05.11.07 Rosendaal Energy Sluiskil

Rosendaal Energy will build a biodiesel plant at Sluiskil, The Netherlands for production of 250.000 tons biodiesel. Raw materials for this plant are crude and refined vegetable oils and fats. Supply will be primarily by barge and seagoing vessel. The plant will not produce waste streams. >> more

03.11.07 Multifuel Engine Retrofit

This project aims to convert a diesel engine into a multifuel engine that can burn several types of fuels such as used vegetable oil, biodiesel, diesel, hydrogen, and/or biogas at the same time, or independently. The final goal of this project would be to use renewable or alternative energy sources to fuel the engine, while optimising the power output, gas mileage, CO2 balance and emisions. A pilot unit would be developed for data collection. >> more

5. New Publications and Resources

New resources that arrived at the editor's desk this month range from downloadable publications such as the "European Biomass Statistics 2007. A statistical report on the contribution of biomass to the energy system in the EU 27" to links to relevant resources such as:

"Presentations from the Clean Vehicles and Fuels European Symposium and Exhibition, held on 7-9 November 07" or a BBC short video on "Cooking oil fuels Austrian buses".

All resources can be accessed through the Biofuel Cities Resource Database at www.biofuel-cities.eu/index.php?id=4888. Access to the Resources Database is for Biofuel Cities European Partnership participants only.

6. Event Highlights

29.11.07Green energy to be mature? Mol, Belgium

We all receive signals that green energy technologies are grown up and are leaving there childhood behind. But what does this mean, that we have a mature economical sector that can be the energy supplier of the future? Or are we still in adolescent phase where independence has to be accompanied but not restricted to grow to maturity? This workshop tries via overviews and actual cases to give answers. >>more

06-07.12.07China Synfuels Summit 2007, Beijing, China

China Synfuels Summit 2007 is the first and only international event in China which has combined together coal-derived fuels and biofuels, which makes it a perfect opportunity to take a panorama of the whole synfuels industry in China. And facing the facts that investment enthusiasm remains high whereas government policy remains obscure and the market is still in a rudimentary phase, it is necessary to deliver a platform to demonstrate the status quo of China's synfuels industry to keep the players of this industry abreast of the latest developments and to help them forecast how this industry will evolve in the near cases to give answers. >>more06-07.12.07Biofuel-2007: Driving the Agricultural sector, Kiev, Ukraine

The event provides good platform for discussions of prospects of bioethanol and biodiesel markets in Ukraine and other countries. >>more

7. Editorial and legal information

The Biofuel Cities Update is a monthly e-newsletter that aims to keep you informed of developments in the field of biofuels and in the Biofuel Cities European Partnership.

The Biofuel Cities European Partnership is a forum for the application of biofuels. Open to all stakeholders in the area of biofuels for vehicles, it offers access to the www.biofuel-cities.eu information and exchange portal; workshops and study tours; news, publications and tools. The Partnership is supported by the European-Commission funded Biofuel Cities project. Participation in the Biofuel Cities European Partnership is free. To join more than 800 peers or to find out more, visit www.biofuel-cities.eu or write to secretariat@biofuel-cities.eu

We welcome you to reproduce and / or translate any part of Biofuel Cities Update for further dissemination purposes, providing source is acknowledged.

Acknowledgement:

This publication is part of the activities of the Co-ordination Action Biofuel Cities European Partnerships Consortium. The Coordination Action is funded by the Sixth Research Framework Programme of the European Union, under the Activity "Alternative Motor Fuels: Biofuels Cities".

Legal notice:

Neither the European Commission nor the Co-ordination Action Biofuel Cities European Partnerships Consortium nor any person acting on behalf of these is responsible for the use which might be made of this publication.

The views expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of the source/author specified and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission nor the Co-ordination Action Biofuel Cities European Partnerships Consortium.